Drug & supplement interaction

Saffron + Tolazamide

Tolazamide brand name: Tolinase.

Moderate Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated September 2026
The bottom line Moderate

Saffron has a moderate interaction with Tolazamide. Theoretically, concomitant use of saffron with antidiabetes drugs might increase the risk of hypoglycemia.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
EvidenceB
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Saffron and Tolazamide

Here is the interaction we found between these two, with the evidence behind it.

Moderate

ANTIDIABETES DRUGS

Why this applies to Tolazamide

Tolazamide falls under ANTIDIABETES DRUGS — the group Saffron interacts with.

Theoretically, concomitant use of saffron with antidiabetes drugs might increase the risk of hypoglycemia.
Some clinical research shows that taking saffron extract reduces fasting levels of glucose when used in addition to hypoglycemic agents. However, saffron powder itself has not been shown to reduce fasting glucose levels.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence B

Interaction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the practical takeaway: tolazamide already works hard to lower your blood sugar by nudging your pancreas to release more insulin. Saffron, in concentrated supplement form, may have a mild blood-sugar-lowering effect of its own. Stack the two together and you could end up lower than you intended, which raises the chance of hypoglycemia (shakiness, sweating, dizziness, confusion, or that hungry, jittery feeling).

I'll be honest about the strength of this: it's largely theoretical, and the evidence is limited. Some studies of saffron extract showed lower fasting glucose, while ordinary saffron powder didn't. A pinch of saffron in your cooking is very unlikely to matter. If you're considering an actual saffron supplement, check with your pharmacist or doctor first and keep an eye on your glucose readings.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Azimi P, Ghiasvand R Feizi A, Hariri M, Abbasi B. Effects of cinnamon, cardamom, saffron, and ginger consumption on markers of glycemic control, lipid profile, oxidative stress, and inflammation in type 2 diabetes. Rev Diabet Stud. 2014 Fall-Winter;11(3-4
  2. Moravej Aleali A, Amani R, Shahbazian H, Namjooyan F, Latifi SM, Cheraghian B. The effect of hydroalcoholic Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) extract on fasting plasma glucose, HbA1c, lipid profile, liver, and renal function tests in patients with type 2 diabet

What These Ratings Mean

Every interaction above is graded three ways — here’s the key to each label.

Severity how clinically significant the interaction is
Major

Clinically significant. Avoid the combination, or use only under close professional supervision.

Moderate

Usually worth avoiding or managing — may need monitoring, a dose change, or timing apart.

Minor

Generally not serious. Be aware of it and mention it to your pharmacist.

Likelihood how strong the evidence is that the interaction actually happens in people
  • LikelyWell-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction.
  • ProbableInteraction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports.
  • PossibleInteraction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.
  • UnlikelyInteraction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.
Evidence the quality of the studies behind the rating (graded A–D)
  • AHigh-quality meta-analysis (quantitative systematic review).
  • BCase-control study.
  • CConsensus.
  • DAnecdotal evidence.

These ratings are for information only. Never start, stop, or otherwise change your therapy before speaking with your provider.

Keep it in perspective

Saffron Also Interacts With Other Medications

Saffron has 520 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Tolazamide one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 520 No known interaction 2,310 (incl. Tolazamide)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Saffron

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Saffron. Pick one to open its full report.

From our Q&A

Questions About Saffron or Tolazamide

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Saffron or Tolazamide, not necessarily both, but if one is close to what you were about to ask it will usually go further than a database entry can:

Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Tolazamide

This page covers Saffron only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Tolazamide page lists 272 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Siberian Cocklebur (major), Acai (moderate), African Wild Potato (moderate) and Agaricus Mushroom (moderate).

By severity: 2 major · 230 moderate · 40 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Tolazamide page

“Tolazamide (Tolinase) lowers blood sugar in type 2 diabetes, and I would handle its supplement list with care, because nearly everything listed can drag blood sugar lower still. Herbs and foods with glucose-lowering effects dominate the file, and stacked on a pill that already lowers glucose they raise the odds of hypoglycemia, blood s…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Tolazamide interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Saffron as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 418 real supplement products containing Saffron, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Saffron. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Tolazamide too, on top of Saffron — and those would not show on this page. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Saffron and Tolazamide Sit Against Everything Else

Out of every supplement and medication people look up on HelloPharmacist, here is where these two land this week — and which way each has been moving.

Supplement Saffron
Top 25%

#238 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Tolazamide
Top half

#1,032 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Position among everything looked up on this site, not a measure of how commonly either one is used or how important it is. A supplement can climb this list because of a news story. It counts every request to the page, automated ones included, and nothing here identifies anyone.

Supplement

About Saffron

What is Saffron?

Saffron
  • Depression and low mood
  • Anxiety
  • PMS symptoms
  • Memory and cognition
  • Eye health (age-related macular degeneration)

Saffron is a costly spice that has shown promise in early studies for mild-to-moderate depression and some mood and PMS symptoms, but most research uses small trials, so results are not definitive. It is generally well tolerated in food and small supplement amounts, but high doses can be harmful and it should be avoided in pregnancy. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using saffron supplements.

Read the full Saffron monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Tolazamide

What Is Tolazamide Used For?

Brand name: Tolinase

  • Tolazamide is used along with diet and exercise, and sometimes with other medications, to treat type 2 diabetes (condition in which the body does not use insulin normally and, therefore, cannot control the amount of sugar in the blood). Tolazamide is in a class of medications called sulfonylureas. Tolazamide lowers blood sugar by causing the pancreas to produce insulin (a natural substance that is needed to break down sugar in the body) and helping the body use insulin efficiently. This medication will only help lower blood sugar in people whose bodies produce insulin naturally. Tolazamide is not used to treat type 1 diabetes (condition in which the body does not produce insulin and, therefore, cannot control the amount of sugar in the blood) or diabetic ketoacidosis (a serious condition that may occur if high blood sugar is not treated).

  • Over time, people who have diabetes and high blood sugar can develop serious or life-threatening complications, including heart disease, stroke, kidney problems, nerve damage, and eye problems. Taking medication(s), making lifestyle changes (e.g., diet, exercise, quitting smoking), and regularly checking your blood sugar may help to manage your diabetes and improve your health. This therapy may also decrease your chances of having a heart attack, stroke, or other diabetes-related complications such as kidney failure, nerve damage (numb, cold legs or feet; decreased sexual ability in men and women), eye problems, including changes or loss of vision, or gum disease. Your doctor and other healthcare providers will talk to you about the best way to manage your diabetes.

See full Tolazamide drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Saffron

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Saffron — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

0Major
520Moderate
0Minor
2,309No known interaction
520 Moderate 2,309 No interaction
Moderate

520 interactions

Showing 60 of 520 moderate interactions — see all 520 on the Saffron page.

No interaction 2,309 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Saffron against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,309 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Saffron list.

See the full Saffron interactions page
See every supplement checked against Tolazamide, ranked by severity
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Interaction details are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database. The medication overview comes from MedlinePlus.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

© 2021 Therapeutic Research Center, LLC

Keep exploring
Saffron monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Tolazamide supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Tolazamide, ranked by severity Tolazamide drug information › The full plain-English guide to this medication Supplement interaction checker › Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z › Every drug we've checked against herbs & supplements Ask a pharmacist › Free, personal answer from our licensed team
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Saffron and Tolazamide Together: Common Questions

Can you take Saffron with Tolazamide?
There is a moderate interaction, so it may be acceptable with monitoring or timing changes — but check with your pharmacist first. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
How serious is the Saffron and Tolazamide interaction?
We rate it Moderate. This combination may require monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one. Consult your pharmacist before using them together.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Still Have a Question About Tolazamide and Saffron?

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This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.